The Arctic Council
•Research topic: The Arctic Council’s efforts to improve sustainability for the Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic and to formalize the rights of the Indigenous and the rights to a traditional Indigenous life in the Arctic.
•Research question: How will the Arctic Council work to improve sustainability for the Indigenous People of the Arctic and formalize their rights to a traditional Indigenous life?
Sample Solution
The Arctic Council is an international cooperative body that works to promote the sustainable development and environmental protection of the Arctic region. This intergovernmental forum provides a platform for dialogue among the eight countries with territory in the Arctic: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and USA. The council also recognizes six Indigenous Peoples’ organizations as permanent participants which include Aleut International Association (AIA), Gwich’in Council International (GCI), Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) Saami Council and Siberian Yupik Tribal Consortium for their contributions to this process (Arctic Council 2020).
In response to growing concerns over climate change in combination with increased interest from businesses looking to explore resources found in the area such as oil and gas ,the council began addressing issues related to indigenous rights including local access rights such as fishing or hunting grounds as well as long term sustainability goals,To this end, they have established multiple initiatives aimed at protecting traditional lifestyles including programs focused on health care, food security, education, language preservation and human rights advocacy (Arctic Council 2012). They have also worked closely with regional governments across all eight member states in order to ensure that regulations are being enforced that protect these rights.
Overall, it appears that the Arctic Council is working diligently towards improving sustainability for indigenous populations living within its jurisdiction. By recognizing their right to a traditional way of life through initiatives focused on health care, food security and education, it has been able provide tangible support while advocating on behalf of these communities both domestically and internationally. Through continued collaboration between member states alongside cooperation from local government agencies, it can be expected that further progress will be made towards achieving lasting results for those living within this fragile ecosystem.